I've already ordered mine. They will ship roughly mid-month, according to OpenSky.

Here is Chandler's description:

It isn’t my policy to engage in naked displays of affection for perfume X or Y. It’s strange public intimacy, like kissing someone you love overwhelmingly in an airport. But the Untitled Series can handle some PDA. S01E04 is among a handful of scents that give me, every time, without fail, the purest joy and a feeling of gratitude that I can own something this perfect.

The artist who created E04 is one I’d never heard of before this work. I’ve only smelled one other piece by this perfumer, and while very well made it would in no way prepare you. There is a particular expression we use to describe (one example) the special status of John le Carré, whose books in lesser hands would be relegated to a mere type, the spy novel, but in his become literature. He transcends the genre, people say.

E04 should be firmly imprisoned in a genre, and I wonder how many marquee olfactory artists’ hands that would include (a fair number, I think). The citrus eau fraîche is ubiquitous and clichéd. But you jump to that category due simply to the brain’s urgent need to place the things it encounters. After an instant, the genre collapses, and you are blissfully disoriented. E04 is masterfully spun, of olfactory filaments the weight of spiders’ webs, its surfaces like the fire gilding of a Medieval mirror with its micro-pitted patina of toxic, silvery mercury lying under glass.

The fact is that E04 transcends anything you might throw at it—citrus, green, floral—while remaining, and how I don’t know, absolutely anchored in the natural world, which is limited. E04 is green, though a very specific water-washed green, and it is certainly citrus, while not being citrus in any obvious way, and it is floral in an almost metaphysical style (perhaps simply by being so elegantly lovely that we are forced to resort to the thought of the curve of a petal to deal intellectually with the thing).

One fact: The work’s title names a natural raw material that is, I think, along with shiso CO2 [editor’s note: drop the 2 in “CO2,” as it would be written in a chemical formula] extraction and ginger essence, perhaps the most inexplicably overlooked natural scent raw material in the palette. The work’s creative director has told me that this material does indeed play a crucial role, so the beauty was there to be built on, but it took a masterful touch to turn it into this scented mercurial filament.

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

I just ordered mine. Actually, the had E03 left, so I ordered that, too I shall save that one for a rainy day.

I am most curious about the statement that the scent is citrus, but not citrus in an obvious way. The first association that I have is with Kumquats. I love how tricky they are. Perfect tangerine color, smells sweet like a naval orange, and then when you bite it - BAM! Crazy, tangy goodness, and I'm not sure what I just ate. I'm hoping that E04 will be the same - before it comes, I'll have a citrus note in my head, and the actual fragrance will be a totally different and surprising citrus.

As for the green - the term 'water-washed' makes me think in a few different directions. Perhaps a very clean green, no dirt smell to go with it. Or maybe an aquatic smell + green. Or perhaps just a thin, transparent green (like a water color).

What fun! Regardless of what the actual fragrance is, I love the discussion.

The question that women casually shopping for perfume ask more than any other is this: "What scent drives men wild?" After years of intense research, we know the definitive answer. It is bacon. Now, on to the far more interesting subject of perfume.
― Tania Sanchez, Perfumes: The Guide

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

^ Alright! Great to see you're back for more! I am still debating getting E03. I love the bottle of the real stuff, but it's way too much for a scent that just doesn't really thrill me. So that $25 bottle does look like a good option.

Yeah - this one is already playing tricks with me. The central component is in the name - what's up with that? And Chandler has only heard of one other fragrance by the perfumer. An eau fraiche that transcends the genre? Citrus but also floral - kinda? An underused component?

(A) Très Chandler!

(B) Niche?

Another thing - his description this time doesn't really have a simple pattern to observe, like the luminosity of E01, the green note of E02, or the tone of E03. I'm not sure, but I think I'll have a hard time with it.

BUT.......

I have an idea what it is. He-he-he-he-he. If it is, I'm in luck. I've wanted a bottle.

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

Yeah - this one is already playing tricks with me. The central component is in the name - what's up with that? And Chandler has only heard of one other fragrance by the perfumer.

These two are killing me, too. They feel like they should both be really good clues, if only I had more of a knowledge base to start with. I am eager to see what all you experienced folk do with the clues!

The question that women casually shopping for perfume ask more than any other is this: "What scent drives men wild?" After years of intense research, we know the definitive answer. It is bacon. Now, on to the far more interesting subject of perfume.
― Tania Sanchez, Perfumes: The Guide

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

Glad to see you opened this thread, Red

I might ask a sample from the kind US folks, a bottle would take too much time to get here and too little time to evaluate. On the other hand the only free weekend I have is 29 +30 September so then I can indulge in the experience

My thoughts on this one:
Shiso C02 is weird clue as the only stuff I know is either Supercritical-CO2 fluid extraction of fatty oils from Perilla frutescens seedshttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12571915
which has a weird oily fishy odor

And the Perilla frutescens leaf extract by Robertet which smells herbal and green, a bit spicy like caraway, anise and cumin with a hint of apple and green tea. There are some perilla flower oils as well and perilla aldehydes, but I haven't smelled them yet.
Some of the bigger houses like Takasago also have their own perilla. Knowing that CB now concentrates on creations from the 5 big boys (Givaudan, Firmenich, IFF, Symrise and Takasago) my guess is that it could be a Takasago creation. They do ginger essences too, so it would make sense. And taking into the cultural postmodern Japanese focus on lightness and light with cherryblossoms and I get a few visuals that might be what CB means.

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

Irina, I think you may have misread it just as I initially did. Re-reading it, it seems to me that he's not indicating that shiso is in the perfume (or ginger essence), but that the titular ingredient of the perfume is as rare as shiso and ginger essence (<--wondering what he's referring to by the rarity of ginger essence though. Some odd extract? Ginger is pretty common.)

My completely off the wall guess is Tobacco Flower by Fresh. Notes list seems like it could be a citrus/green/floral eau fraiche (it's by Fresh, after all) and Tobacco flowers are definitely underused!

- - - Updated - - -

No idea why I'm guessing already. I think it's kind of fun though to try and figure out a scent simply by Chandler's description. I managed to pull it off with E02. I think the ability to do so (I know some others did the same with E02) could be a strong argument that Chandler is saying a bit too much.

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

Originally Posted by SculptureOfSoul

Irina, I think you may have misread it just as I initially did. Re-reading it, it seems to me that he's not indicating that shiso is in the perfume (or ginger essence), but that the titular ingredient of the perfume is as rare as shiso and ginger essence (<--wondering what he's referring to by the rarity of ginger essence though. Some odd extract? Ginger is pretty common.)

My completely off the wall guess is Tobacco Flower by Fresh. Notes list seems like it could be a citrus/green/floral eau fraiche (it's by Fresh, after all) and Tobacco flowers are definitely underused!

- - - Updated - - -

No idea why I'm guessing already. I think it's kind of fun though to try and figure out a scent simply by Chandler's description. I managed to pull it off with E02. I think the ability to do so (I know some others did the same with E02) could be a strong argument that Chandler is saying a bit too much.

Thank you, you are very right *face palm* The focus is "perhaps the most inexplicably overlooked natural scent raw material in the palette".

However real tobacco flowers extract is very very expensive and very rare so I doubt a commercial perfumer may be allowed to use it for the masses

But your guess is as good as mine LOL

Off to the lab...

ETA: On the other hand after re-reading that paragraph, I can also interpret it as being as rare as shiso CO2 and then the 'tobacco flower' might fit the bill perfectly

The image I had in my mind when hearing CB first mentioning E04 during the spreedcaste04 floating.jpg

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

Originally Posted by thebeck

I'm in on "04" because Chandler renewed my faith in him by offering us E'trog.

Great! I think it's awesome that Chandler made amends with E03, but - man, oh, man - L'Etrog? I must have had your taste figured *totally* wrong! I was sure as hell thinking L'Etrog would have you pulling out your hair and running, screaming, for the hills! Go figure!

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

I'm in again, because I'm intrigued by a fragrance that anyone and everyone would love. I also like the Calder analogy and am curious to see how that is expressed in the fragrance. As for the other parts of the description, I had the thought that CO2 might refer to carbonation, as in "Fizz" so scents like Ananas Fizz come to mind.

Oh, and I once suggested to Dawn Spencer Hurwitz that she create a scent based on the concept of Mercury Glass, so I'll be interested to see if I find that quality in S01E04.

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

Originally Posted by Perfume_Addict

I'm in again, because I'm intrigued by a fragrance that anyone and everyone would love. I also like the Calder analogy and am curious to see how that is expressed in the fragrance. As for the other parts of the description, I had the thought that CO2 might refer to carbonation, as in "Fizz" so scents like Ananas Fizz come to mind.

Oh, and I once suggested to Dawn Spencer Hurwitz that she create a scent based on the concept of Mercury Glass, so I'll be interested to see if I find that quality in S01E04.

Very glad you're back!

I hope that you are indeed able to sense some of these things, because I have a feeling I'll need some help on this one.

- - - Updated - - -

PS - My first guess, based on several of the clues. This is the one I am desperately hoping it is...

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

Hmmm.... Sounds interesting. I do enjoy a good citrus eau, and they're generally all similar enough that it would be kind of pointless guessing amongst the thousands out there. And one of the things I enjoyed about the last one was giving up trying to guess what it was...

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

Originally Posted by rogalal

Hmmm.... Sounds interesting. I do enjoy a good citrus eau, and they're generally all similar enough that it would be kind of pointless guessing amongst the thousands out there. And one of the things I enjoyed about the last one was giving up trying to guess what it was...

I agree - I'm already kicking myself for letting myself take too good of a guess about it. I was thinking about this today on the drive in to work, and realized that Chandler actually buried a subconscious clue confirming my guess. I was both elated and horrified. The former because I just needed an excuse to study it and wallow in my love for it, as well as buy a bottle. The latter, because I realize that I won't be able to separate myself from that earlier love, if I'm right.

Honestly, I'm not sure if I should. I swear you'll have more fun if I don't. Whether you guess it on your own, or whether you experience it without knowing, I really feel that you'll get more out of it that way. A lot more. My cheap [probable] guesswork by [possible] linguistic puzzle-solving did not provide the satisfaction that sniffing to an answer would have.

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

No idea why I'm guessing already. I think it's kind of fun though to try and figure out a scent simply by Chandler's description. I managed to pull it off with E02. I think the ability to do so (I know some others did the same with E02) could be a strong argument that Chandler is saying a bit too much.

Or an argument that you're a friggin' genius. You're one of the most prescient BNers my friend.

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

Originally Posted by MonkeyBars

No idea why I'm guessing already. I think it's kind of fun though to try and figure out a scent simply by Chandler's description. I managed to pull it off with E02. I think the ability to do so (I know some others did the same with E02) could be a strong argument that Chandler is saying a bit too much.

Or an argument that you're a friggin' genius. You're one of the most prescient BNers my friend.

He's bailed me out of more than a few conundrums. I had no idea why I liked Bleu de Chanel until he figured out where the hooks were buried!

I don't think that Chandler could actually say anything less and not keep the game interesting. I think there's a balance between just letting the noses run around wild without any supervision, and pointing them in a useful direction. In fact, I would say that Chandler has done a great job so far.

BTW - are you interested in playing? Feel free to PM me your address if you are. I have some Untitled Series capital thanks to an angel investor (Birdboy), so I'm feelin' a bit frisky with the juice.

(And hopefully I won't be getting a pathetic 15 mL this time!!! That really made the last split cut pretty close.)

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

Originally Posted by Redneck Perfumisto

I don't think that Chandler could actually say anything less and not keep the game interesting. I think there's a balance between just letting the noses run around wild without any supervision, and pointing them in a useful direction. In fact, I would say that Chandler has done a great job so far.

I've really loved the word pictures he's used so far. Even when I don't get the same picture, I like the direction that it pushes us. Definitely away from really specific notes, and more toward emotional and synesthetic responses.

The question that women casually shopping for perfume ask more than any other is this: "What scent drives men wild?" After years of intense research, we know the definitive answer. It is bacon. Now, on to the far more interesting subject of perfume.
― Tania Sanchez, Perfumes: The Guide

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

Originally Posted by Windblownhair

I've really loved the word pictures he's used so far. Even when I don't get the same picture, I like the direction that it pushes us. Definitely away from really specific notes, and more toward emotional and synesthetic responses.

True, although I do love descriptions that anchor the scent to real world experiences (smells). But abstract descriptions can also be useful. As I said, I love the idea of the mobile and mercury glass, and am looking forward to seeing how they are expressed in the fragrance.

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

Originally Posted by Redneck Perfumisto

I agree - I'm already kicking myself for letting myself take too good of a guess about it. I was thinking about this today on the drive in to work, and realized that Chandler actually buried a subconscious clue confirming my guess. I was both elated and horrified. The former because I just needed an excuse to study it and wallow in my love for it, as well as buy a bottle. The latter, because I realize that I won't be able to separate myself from that earlier love, if I'm right.

I almost hope I'm wrong now.

He-he-he-he-he.

I'm thinking about it. We'll see.......

Honestly, I'm not sure if I should. I swear you'll have more fun if I don't. Whether you guess it on your own, or whether you experience it without knowing, I really feel that you'll get more out of it that way. A lot more. My cheap [probable] guesswork by [possible] linguistic puzzle-solving did not provide the satisfaction that sniffing to an answer would have.

Don't give up now!!!

Ok but you're an evil tease

I have no idea what to look for, I clearly read the description wrong, as each time I see other clues. So for now I'm focusing on the the other blind sniffing project, 2 are just 1 too many

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

I have no idea what to look for, I clearly read the description wrong, as each time I see other clues. So for now I'm focusing on the the other blind sniffing project, 2 are just 1 too many

Yeah!

I agree - multiple sniff projects would be impossible. If you come back to this one when the bottles begin to hit people's mailboxes, you willl start getting some excellent clues, I'm very sure, and the game will be on again!!!

I have multiple other fragrance writing projects in need of attention, so a couple of free weeks will do me good as well.

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

So my grounding description for E04 is going to be "quicksilver spider webs"

I also wanted to let everyone know that for the E04 reveal I'm going to be in NYC in the same room with Chandler so that will hopefully lead to a little looser kind of discussion.

I wanted to thank everyone for sending questions in to [email protected] that is going to be the place I will be looking for questions. One favor I ask is to fully explain what kind of answer you're looking for in the e-mail but please try and distill your question down to something I can ask easily and succinctly on the video. If I know what you want out of the question I can, hopefully, steer Chandler towards the subject you would like answered.

Re: Chandler Burr Untitled S01E04

So my grounding description for E04 is going to be "quicksilver spider webs"

I tell you, man, I sure hope I sense them in the juice!!!

Originally Posted by Somerville Metro Man

I also wanted to let everyone know that for the E04 reveal I'm going to be in NYC in the same room with Chandler so that will hopefully lead to a little looser kind of discussion.

Very cool! Have a great time in the Big Apple!

Originally Posted by Somerville Metro Man

I wanted to thank everyone for sending questions in to [email protected] that is going to be the place I will be looking for questions. One favor I ask is to fully explain what kind of answer you're looking for in the e-mail but please try and distill your question down to something I can ask easily and succinctly on the video. If I know what you want out of the question I can, hopefully, steer Chandler towards the subject you would like answered.

Yeah, good idea! I thought you did a great job turning my rather verbose question about art and fragrance into something that actually worked in a video. Your editing skills clearly on display again!